122 Eusebius, which seemed to assign his martyrdom with that of Ignatius to the 9th or 10th year of Trajan, Simeon’s death has been assigned to 107 or 108. Bishop Lightfoot has shown good reason for placing it earlier in Trajan’s reign (Lightfoot, Ignatius, i. 21, 58–60, ii. 442–450). Hegesippus says that in his 121st year Simeon was accused before Atticus, then proconsul, by certain Jewish sectaries, first, that being of the line of David, he was a possible claimant of the throne of his royal ancestor, and secondly that he was a Christian. He was tortured for many days in succession, and bore his sufferings with a firmness which astonished all the beholders, especially Atticus himself, who marveled at such endurance in one so advanced in age. Finally he was ordered to be crucified (Eus. H. E. iii. 32). [Rev. Canon E. Venables wrote this article on “Simeon” in: A Dictionary of Early Christian Biography. p. 904. Henry Wace, Gen. Ed. Public Domain. Hypertexted and formatted for the Accordance Bible Search program by OakTree Software, Inc. Version 1.1. boldface added] More Information about Clopas, Symeon, Joseph and Mary
Smith’s Bible Dictionary (William Smith) Cleopas (of a renowned father), one of the two disciples who were going to Emmaus on the day of the resurrection (Luke 24:18). Some think the same as Cleophas in John 19:25. But they are probably two different persons. Cleopas is a Greek name, contracted from Cleopater, while Cleophas, or Clopas as in the Revised Version, is an Aramaic name, the same as Alphaeus. Cleophas, Revised Version Clo’pas, the husband of Mary the sister of Virgin Mary. (John 19:25) He was probably dead before Jesus’ ministry began, for his wife and children constantly appear with Joseph’s family in the time of our Lord’s ministry. [William Smith, A Dictionary of the Bible, 1889. Public Domain. Electronic Text Downloaded from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library. http:// www.ccel.org Formatted and corrected by OakTree Software, Inc. Version 1.4] International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (James Orr) Clopas; Cleophas (Gk. KLOPAS): The former in RV, the latter in AV, of Jn 19:25, for the name of the husband of one of the women who stood by the cross of Christ. Upon the philological ground of a variety in pronunciation of the Hebrew root, [it is] sometimes identified with Alpheus, the father of James the Less. Said by tradition to have been the brother of Joseph, the husband of Mary... Distinguished from Cleopas, a Greek word, while Clopas is Aramaic. [James Orr, Gen. Ed., The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, 1915 edition. Parts of the electronic text hypertexted and prepared by OakTree Software, Inc., Version 2.2] Expositor’s Bible Commentary John 19:25-27 The harsh brutality of the scene is softened by the allusion to Jesus’ care for his mother. Four women are mentioned here: Mary, the wife of Clopas; Mary Magdalene; Mary, the mother of Jesus; and his mother’s sister, who was presumably Salome, the mother of James and John (cf. Matt 27:56; Mark 10:35; 15:40). The identity of Mary of Clopas is uncertain. She may have been the wife or daughter of Clopas. If she were the former, a question arises whether Clopas and Alphaeus, who was the father of James the younger (Mark 3:18), were identical. Most of these women were related in some way to the Twelve and were among Jesus’ most loyal followers. Mary of Magdala appears in Luke’s list of those who helped support Jesus by their contributions (Luke 8:2). There is nothing in the NT to imply that she was of loose moral character. “Magdalene” refers to her home in Magdala, a town on the western side of the Sea of Galilee, named probably from the Hebrew migdol, or “watchtower.” [Merrill C. Tenney, John (The Expositor’s Bible Commentary. Vol. 9; ed. Frank E. Gaebelein and J. D. Douglas; Accordance electronic ed. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1984). Electronic text hypertexted and prepared by OakTree Software, Inc. Version 1.7] Adam Clarke’s Commentary John 19:25. Mary the wife of Cleophas. She is said, in Matthew 27:56, (see the note there,) and
